In order for power tools, such as drills, to be effective at quickly drilling holes or driving fasteners, the tools must be able to deliver high levels of torque. In some instances, such torque levels can be difficult for users to control. For instance, when drilling a hole in soft steels the torque level can increase rapidly as the drill point starts to exit the material on the other side. In some instances, this aggressive cutting may stop drill bit rotation, thereby causing a strong reaction torque that is imparted to the tool operator as the motor turns the tool in the operator's grasp (rather than turning the drill bit). This phenomenon can occur quite rapidly and unexpectedly. In other instances, the twist condition is a slower phenomenon in which the torque level slowly increases until the operator loses control of the tool.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a control system for addressing such varying conditions in power tools. The control system should be operable to detect torque conditions which may cause the operator to lose control of the tool and implement protective operations. Of particular interest, are protective operations that enable the operator to regain control of the tool without terminating or resetting operation of the tool.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.